Five Things on Thursday

My awesome friend, Tarek Es-bear, has adopted and adapted a new trend from the ever evolving digital hipster scene in the UK and introduced us to 'Five Things on Thursday.' Not unlike the roundups I've done in the past (like here, here and here), five things is meant to highlight the best of the best of your internet week.

So, I'm jumping on the numerical bandwagon (for this week at least) and recounting the top five videos/articles/one man Lord of the Rings shows, for your viewing pleasure:

 

1. Although I saw this a couple of weeks ago, and it is fairly old in internet terms, this short is pretty much one of the coolest, gutsiest and best made films I have seen thus far in 2012. Treading ever so lightly on a semi-apocalytpic, drug-induced mutation of a public announcement, check out 'The Gate' (dir. Matt Westrup).

2. You know those women, who are all (apparantly) about feminism, and girl power, not having kids and 'sticking it to the man'? Listen, I'm a Jordanian woman - if there ever was someone who was pro feminism, it would be me. But all this "marriage is crap" bullshit is ridiculous. Love is good, and personally, I'm a sucker for a good love story. Enter Jess & Russ and the latest example in this new, revamped online wedding invitation craze. It is LOVELY.

3. Film is what you make of it. Personal interpretation and value-systems dictate the success of a feature - alongside production prowess, budgets and execution, of course. In the past year, I've been exposed to some B-movies I would have never touched had I not made the friends I have. Although many of these are (putting it lightly) not my cup of tea (enter 'Green Slime'),  I have always respected the love some have for the genre. Although I could easily label some as sweaty jockstraps of an excuse for film, I don't, because a) that's mean, and b) I'm on this new zen diet where I try not to get worked up. Long story short, I know not everyone loved 'The Avengers', but I did and it is a wonderful two hours of escapism, alongside everything else (almost) that Marvel Comics have ever done. So here are a bunch of awesome geeks (including me - plug *cough* plug) talking about their favourite Marvel characters, embarassing photos included.

4. I love Guillermo del Toro. SO MUCH. So this week, I found i) a faun... having lunch... and, ii) Hellboy looking sad. Also, although James Cameron is meant to be producing, it appears 'At the Mountains of Madness' has been put on hold (thanks 'Prometheus'). Save it by joining the petition, here.
Note: Cameron lost one of the 'Pan's Labyrinth' notebooks that del Toro gifted him. Nice going, Jimmy.

Lunching faun

 

Image courtesy of Pacman on DeviantArt

5. The final link for this, my inaugural 'Five Things on Thursday' post, is courtesy of my 'Daddy Cross' friends who show us how NOT to do a crowdfunding video call-out. And Evrim Ersoy should reconsider a career in comedy.

In Love with Debs and Errol

Their website is so sweet it's giving me cavities, their comics are so geeky they make the geeky people I know sound like airheads and they sing. In Vulcan. It is my pleasure to introduce you to my new crushes, Debs and Errol.

Best comic strip I have ever seen. Ever. In life. Originally found on the Debs and Errol website, here.

Errol wrote 'Geek Love Song' for his wife. The lyrics are below, including how to say 'I Love You' in Elvish, Mandalorian, LOLcat and binary. Yes, binary.

So many ways to say “I Love You”
In different languages across the land.
You haven’t heard them all so I’ll tell you
As only a true geek can.

“Ich Liebe Dich” is German geeky for their boardgames
In Latin (and Spanish) it is “Te amo”
“mi olin e sina” is the phrase in Toki Pona,
“Mi amas vin” in Esperanto

“Linnon am meleth vin”
In Sindarin means “I sing because I love you”
“AG EE OO P” is what you type.
For Alliance and the Horde to talk to.

To stick with Elvish we have “Tye mela’ne”
Yet another language that Tolkien made.
“Usstan ssinssrigg ilta” spoken in Drowish
A DnD type of elf you played.

“I Love You, I would date with you”, by Tatewaki Kuno
Not a different language, but it’s good enough
“hato daisuki” is japanese but geeky cuz
Otaku really love their weird stuff.

“Eep Op Ork Ah Ah”‘
From saturday morning cartoons
“Ie ovele ouye” too,
From way back when I was in grade 2.

“Wani ra yana ro aisha” in Vulcan
In Klingon it’s “qaparHa” which sorta sounds like a threat
“I-jol au” is Romulan but not exactly canon
In case we make the fanboys upset.

“Ni kar’tayli gar darasuum” is Mandalorian
In another galaxy, long gone by
If you speak in Huttese you say “Uma ji muna”
On Dagobah it’s, “Love you, do I”

’10 Print “I love you” 20 Goto 10′
My first program, as a child
‘I->love(you)’
I bet your hormones are going wild.

“U CAN HAZ LUV, K THX BAI!”
I display LOLCat finery.
“I Less Than Three U” and….
0110100101101100011011110111011001100101011110010110111101110101
I love you in binary!

Sinister Peas & Awesome Internet

Today I had a conversation with a friend about how we were both closet pessimists, or what I like to call, ‘sinister peas in a pod’. I drew a picture to help illustrate this (see above). Meanwhile, elsewhere on the internets, lots of people tweeted, Facebooked and blogged links I thought were awesome. Here’s a list:

Crowdfunding gives production companies a run for their stupid money

Gavin Rothery, visual effects man extraordinaire (Moon, 2009), blows my mind with some SpaceDisco

The folks from Blog Critics drew up this nifty infographic about how awesome life would be if sci-fi films were real (click link at bottom of article)

MGMT’s beautiful animated video for ‘All We Ever Wanted Was Everything’

The genius ‘Why We Broke Up Project’ tumblr will make you laugh and cry

Scientists tried to freak us out with last week’s solar flare business, but it only created stunning photo ops, like this one in Sweden

Inconceivable! A ‘The Princess Bride’ remake is in the works, kids!

The @DeathStarPR Twitter accounts cracks us up (and freaks us out) with this pic

Considering a move? I hear Mars and Titan are looking pretty good

JT can thank Thomas Edison for there being any sexy in the first place, The First Kiss and more

Ryan Haysom’s new film, ‘Yellow’, is one to watch, and he’s got this blogging thing down to a tee

Tweet of the moment goes to random account @whattheffacts, with this gem #JoedeMaggio #MarylinMonroe 

Is It The End of the World Yet?

Hello and Happy (belated) New Year! Here’s hoping all three of my faithful readers have had a joyous break and a positive start to the year prophesised to mark the end of humanity as we know it. Anywho, I’m popping in simply to confirm that a) I am still alive and well (mostly) and b) I haven’t allowed myself the luxury of sinking into the abyss of utter melancholy or depression (thank goodness).

Originality is... a by-product of Sincerity

Earlier this week I experienced what was probably the roughest day of the year so far. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened - I mean, no ridiculous parking tickets, I didn’t spill coffee all over my jeans and there weren’t any BBM battles over which friend was ignoring whom. No, all of those had happened earlier in the week, but I suppose it was the accumulation of it all that resulted in that remarkably shitty day.

It's The End of the Wor.. Oh Wait, It's Only 2011

I cannot believe it’s 2011 already. How many times have you heard that one today? It’s true though, this year has quite literally gone by like the blink of an eye (and apparently I rhyme in 2011). I had a lovely send off for 2010, complete with the quintessential New Year faves like parents embarrassing themselves on the dance floor, unhealthy liquor combinations and the delightful smell of cigar in my hair.

STOP! In The Name of... The Federal Government?

Sometimes, all it takes is a headline like, "Public Servant's Lovelorn Email Goes Viral" to put a fresh perspective on things. Courtesy of a lovesick Department of Immigrations employee, an email was sent out to the ENTIRE Federal Government department in Canberra inquiring about a girl the employee had met at a work function.

The Nicest Thing

Beautiful song and one of a series of simple animations that bring some of my favourite songs to life. I'll post a couple more of the collection on here later. I know I've been MIA but life is hectic and I barely have the time much less the energy to post. No excuses. Regular service will resume mid August.

Bless His Ever Loving Heart

For a bad ass, Nick Cave sure knows how to get the water works going. Everyone should have someone they can relate these lyrics to. I particularly like the the second verse, 'when it all comes down so bad and beauty lies exhausted in the streets'. I feel the lyrics apply heavily to the prospect of a trouble enduring love, which really isn't as fairytale-ridden as folks make it out to be. Hard work? I have no doubt. I wont go on, Im definitely not the authority on the subject. I do however, love love this tune. And count myself one of the lucky, lucky ones.





Bless his ever loving heart
Only he knows who you are
He may seem so very far
Bless his ever loving heart

And when you're feeling sad
And everywhere you look you can't believe the things you see
When it all comes down so bad
And beauty lies exhausted in the streets

Hold his ever loving hand
Even when you do not understand
Sorrow has its natural end
Hold his ever loving hand

And when you're feeling low
And everyone you meet you can't believe the things they say
When there's no place left to go
Where someone isn't moving you a little further down the way

Bless his ever loving heart
What you do is what you are
When it all comes down so hard
Bless his ever loving heart
Hold his ever loving hand
When it seems you ain’t got a friend

Only he knows who you are and what you are
Bless his ever loving heart
Bless his ever loving heart


- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

It Must Be Love

One of the best poems I've read, to date. Courtesy of superstar, Ben Adlam.

If it's good enough for Monet, then it's good enough for me.

After the Lunch


On Waterloo Bridge, where we said our goodbyes,
the weather conditions bring tears to my eyes.
I wipe them away with a black woolly glove
And try not to notice I've fallen in love.

On Waterloo Bridge I am trying to think:This is nothing. you're high on the charm and the drink.
But the juke-box inside me is playing a song
That says something different. And when was it wrong?

On Waterloo Bridge with the wind in my hair
I am tempted to skip. You're a fool. I don't care.
the head does its best but the heart is the boss-
I admit it before I am halfway across.

Wendy Cope

Soul Food - Not Fried Chicken

This pic reminds me of that Roger Sanchez song, 'Another Chance'

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling) i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true) and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart) ee cummings

Shoes and Other Beautiful Things

Clothes may not fit, but shoes always look good.

Its noon on the Wednesday after my birthday. Im in a bit of a contemplative mood (what's new?), yet on the whole, this is turning out to be an alright kinda day. As always, I woke up about a dozen times during the night, check up on my phone, make sure no-one rang, texted, etc. This anxiety will be the death of me, I know it, but I can't seem to control it.

I've been sleeping a lot later than my usual recently, and waking up particularly early. A combination of personal pleasures (don't get pervy), stress and early 'working' days resulted in me sleeping through my alarm this morning. I can't comprehend how that even happened considering its on the shrillest ring tone known to man AND vibrates better than any toy on the market. Ended up driving to the bakery and buying brekkie for the office to keep the peace.

Had they not inhaled the goodies I bought, this would be an actual photo of brekkie. This is prettier.

This has to be one of the best birthday weeks I've had in a while. I got sent a lot of love and to be honest (albite a tad cliche) that to me is worth the most lavish gift - and more. However, because Im a girl and we like 'pretty things', I did also do some serious birthday spending. Shoes make me happy.

The things that made my week, however, came in the form of two heartfelt gifts from two beautiful people. The first you will think I am dramatizing. Its a t-shirt. Nothing spectacular mind you - just a cotton t-shirt. Its the thought that someone would devote any part of their day in making an effort to put a smile in your face, the thoughtful gesture and the care behind the action, that makes this number one on my list this year.

The second was a bouquet of beautiful pink and white, lilies and roses. My colleagues bombarded me with these late into the work day yesterday - I was initially surprised that it wasn't a cake, considering this is the norm in this office; any excuse is a good excuse for cake. However, and according to our secretary Michelle, *cue laughter*, 'you're always on a diet', so they bought me the flowers instead.

Absolutely beautiful. And my office now smells like a meadow. 

Now, I love flowers. I haven't received nearly enough in my lifetime - not that the occasion didn't present itself, just never quite happened as often as I would have liked it to. Regardless, this was such a lovely surprise because of the thought that had been put into it by one little creative. I found out later that evening that she had gone out and picked the combination of flowers herself as to what she felt 'represented' me. She told me the way I dressed, the music I listened to and the vibe I brought into the office inspired her. I don't think I have ever been so flattered in my entire life.

These two things plus endless well wishes, a digital cake, a handmade birthday card, a singing voice clip and a surreal chat with a lovely sales lady have made this a week to remember.

This is all for now. I wish everyone out there (who actually reads this) a week just as motivational and inspiring as the one Im having.

That's me! Not in the photo, I meant Im the rookie of the year. I don't know who this bitch is and why she has my shirt.

p.s. I ran my first 10k this week too! Im proud of my rookie ass for taking me that far. Well done, me!